When it comes to the transfer rumour mill, the papers and online publications often put inappropriate labels on players in an attempt to generate interest. By this I mean, wingers getting classified as ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’, technically talented players getting called the ‘next Lionel Messi’, combatitive midfielders getting called ‘the next Patrick Viera’ and so on. It’s diminishing, but it’s effective in summing up a player for an uneducated audience.
But ask any of these players, ‘what’s it like to be called the new x’ and they’ll say the same thing: ‘it’s flattering to be compared to a player of such substance, but I want to carve out my own path’. Naturally, no two players are alike. Football journalism is too simplistic in this sense (and way too complicated in many others).
This guff is the pre-amble leading me up to talkSPORT’s claim that Liverpool are interested in ‘the next Steven Gerrard’ (as CaughtOffside call him). Before reading past the headline, you know what you’re looking at – a great all-round midfielder with plenty of attacking flair. In this case, the player in question is Ajax’s incredibly talented Danish midfielder, Christian Eriksen.
It doesn’t surprise me that Christian Eriksen has found himself back on the rumour-mill. After his performance (and his team-mate’s) against Manchester City last week, I’m sure that there are plenty who have begun to take notice of the 20-year-old.
But Eriksen has been on the scene for a while. He has helped to guide Ajax to back-to-back Eredivisie titles, broken into the Danish national team at a young age. He’s demonstrated technical ability and craft way above his station. I’m not quite sure that he’s ‘the next Steven Gerrard’, but he’s certainly got lots of potential.
I’m not convinced that a player of Eriksen’s ilk is necessarily what Liverpool need. He’d set the Reds back a significant sum and I feel this money would be better spent in other areas. Joe Allen has the potential to kick-on and become Steven Gerrard’s heir. What Liverpool really need is a natural goal-scorer.
Not a midfielder, a striker. They’ve got a technically gifted forward in the shape of Luis Suarez, they now need somebody who can put the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis. This kind of player may not come cheap and Liverpool need to make sure they have the funds available.
What’s your take? Would Liverpool benefit from Christian Eriksen or do they have other priorities?
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